Improvement in roller-skates



E. ROBINSON. Roller-Skates.

No.199v.664. Patented Jan. 29,1878.

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EDWARD ROBINSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROLLER-SKATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 199,664, dated January 29, 1878 application filed April 12, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD RoBrNsoN, of the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Roller-Skates, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view. Fig. 2 is a bottom view.

Like letters in all the figures refer to the same parts.

My invention consists in so constructing a roller-skate that it may be capable of being operated or rolled over a rough or uneven surface or street-pavement, and of being prevented from rolling backward while ascending a hill or incline.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, A is a common skate-top, (with its customary straps and fastenings,) made of wood, metal, or any other material, to the under side of which is fastened, by means of any suitable device, 'a spring, B. To the outer ends of said spring B are formed .or attached thereto bearings and rollers c c,'roller 0 being capable of swiveling in the same way as furniture-casters, and is what I term a pilot-wheel. Between the top A and the outer end of spring B, I place cushions E, of rubber or any other suitable material, so as to assist spring B to receive the shock occasioned by rolling over uneven surfaces or street-pavements; but I do not deem it really essential to the use of my invention, as l believe the spring B to be fully suficient for the purpose desired.

Attached to said springB by means of bearin gs, I place a swinging or movable link, D, so

constructed that it may be swung downward and catch under roller or pilot-wheel a, thereby blocking said wheel should it undertake to roll backward while the operator is ascending a hill or incline, which checking device also gives him a foot-hold while making such ascension, which is very desirable.

I know that this same result of blocking or keeping the rollers from revolving can be accomplished by means of a pawl and ratchet, or other equivalent device, fastened to any or either of the rollers; but I deem the link preferable, as being the more simple in operation, and more easily and cheaply made.

Now, the operation of my invention is simply to fasten the skate to the foot of the operator by means of the customary straps and fastenings used in skates, and it is then rolled over the rough pavement on the sidewalks of the streets (which it is specially designed to accomplish) in the manner of skating,the spring and cushions receiving any shock that might occur therefrom, and the swinging link keeping the skater from rolling backward, it being a complete blocker of the rollers from a backward motion. I

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- In a roller-skate, thecombination of the top A, rollers c and c, and link or checking device D, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

EDWARD ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

CHAs. E. L. JELLIFFE, THOMAS BINNs. 

